Nikon vs Canon Auto Focus: I’ve had Nikon cameras since film and never even looked at Canon seiously. I recently came across a review of a Canon camera and was surprised to find out...

sathca Loc: Narragansett Rhode Island

I’ve had Nikon cameras since film and never even looked at Canon seiously. I recently came across a review of a Canon camera and was surprised to find out that their auto focus system has 45 cross type sensors while most Nikons only have 15. So how does Nikon still manage to rate so high? It would seem that the Canon auto focus would make the Nikon grossly inferior. What am I missing? Or is Nikon grossly inferior at auto focus

ejones0310 Loc: Tulsa, OK

sathca wrote:

I’ve had Nikon cameras since film and never even looked at Canon seiously. I recently came across a review of a Canon camera and was surprised to find out that their auto focus system has 45 cross type sensors while most Nikons only have 15. So how does Nikon still manage to rate so high? It would seem that the Canon auto focus would make the Nikon grossly inferior. What am I missing? Or is Nikon grossly inferior at auto focus

My Canon 80D has 49 focus points. But if I leave all of them enabled, the camera may attempt to focus on something other than what I want it to focus on. So, I have disabled all of the sensors except the one in the center of the viewscreen. I put that sensor where I want the focus to be tack sharp and depress the shutter release half way to lock it in, or depress the back focus button, and then reframe and shoot.

So, what use are the other 48 sensors? To me, not much. The only time I would use them is if I locked the camera down on a tripod. I would then select one of the other sensors for my focus point.

So is the Canon better because it has more sensors? No, it just has a few more whistles in the focus department.

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

sathca wrote:

I’ve had Nikon cameras since film and never even looked at Canon seiously. I recently came across a review of a Canon camera and was surprised to find out that their auto focus system has 45 cross type sensors while most Nikons only have 15. So how does Nikon still manage to rate so high? It would seem that the Canon auto focus would make the Nikon grossly inferior. What am I missing? Or is Nikon grossly inferior at auto focus

I would include more models of both manufacturers in my search.

Kuzano

Keeping track of one focus point OK. The rest is BS!

MT Shooter Loc: Montana

sathca wrote:

I’ve had Nikon cameras since film and never even looked at Canon seiously. I recently came across a review of a Canon camera and was surprised to find out that their auto focus system has 45 cross type sensors while most Nikons only have 15. So how does Nikon still manage to rate so high? It would seem that the Canon auto focus would make the Nikon grossly inferior. What am I missing? Or is Nikon grossly inferior at auto focus

Both my main Nikons have 153 focus points with 99 of them being cross type. How is this inferior????
Don't believe all the propoganda you read on the internet, its mostly "fake news" as you can tell if you research these falsehoods.

tradio Loc: Oxford, Ohio

How many FP's are needed? Is there a point where you have too many?

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

ejones0310 wrote:

My Canon 80D has 49 focus points. But if I leave a... (show quote)

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

ejones0310 wrote:

My Canon 80D has 49 focus points. But if I leave all of them enabled, the camera may attempt to focus on something other than what I want it to focus on. So, I have disabled all of the sensors except the one in the center of the viewscreen.

Right. That's a very common practice that negates all the bragging about the number of focus points. Would anyone want to focus on fifty different subject?

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

sathca wrote:

I’ve had Nikon cameras since film and never even looked at Canon seiously. I recently came across a review of a Canon camera and was surprised to find out that their auto focus system has 45 cross type sensors while most Nikons only have 15. So how does Nikon still manage to rate so high? It would seem that the Canon auto focus would make the Nikon grossly inferior. What am I missing? Or is Nikon grossly inferior at auto focus

You need to look at different models, some Nikons have so many points as to be totally ridiculous. 150+ I believe. Canon seems to have an insane amount as well.
I have not yet figured out an intelligent use for them though I am sure there is but just don't know.
Of course if you count DPAF by Canon they literally have millions of them on even the cheapest camera and no one else has anything like it.

Bottom line can you think of a reason for them? They have no clue what you want in focus so how do you know those dozens of focus sensors are actually choosing the correct point for you? Again I am sure there is an obscure reason for them but for many it is wasted.

Bill_de Loc: US

There may very well be a good reason for large numbers of sensors. If you use a 25 point group as an option and move that group to different parts of the screen, are you really moving those sensors around the screen or activating the ones you need. Even using single point, unless you leave it set in one place you can be using a whole bunch of different sensors, one at a time.

Focusing on the eye of a bird while trying to have good composition with little or no cropping requires being able to select a very specific point.

--

Math78 Loc: Scottsdale, AZ

sathca wrote:

Iâve had Nikon cameras since film and never even looked at Canon seiously. I recently came across a review of a Canon camera and was surprised to find out that their auto focus system has 45 cross type sensors while most Nikons only have 15. So how does Nikon still manage to rate so high? It would seem that the Canon auto focus would make the Nikon grossly inferior. What am I missing? Or is Nikon grossly inferior at auto focus

If it's focal points that you want, then look at Sony.

The A6300 has "425 phase detection AF points - the world's highest number among interchangeable lens cameras - that are densely placed across the entire frame."

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

Math78 wrote:

If it's focal points that you want, then look at Sony.

The A6300 has "425 phase detection AF points - the world's highest number among interchangeable lens cameras - that are densely placed across the entire frame."

And what chooses to focus on? The trees or the car?

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

Architect1776 wrote:

And what chooses to focus on? The trees or the car?

Exactly. Unless it’s an open background where the subject is the only thing the camera may choose to focus on, I usually use the center plus maybe a small group surrounding it.

Cdouthitt Loc: Traverse City, MI

tradio wrote:

How many FP's are needed? Is there a point where you have too many?

No.

LoneRangeFinder Loc: Left field

My old out of date D7100 has 51–as well as several other options. Some might need a gazillion for what they do; my needs are different.